Ambiente térmico y el bienestar de los cerdos en el período de descanso previo al sacrificio

The research aimed to evaluate the relationship between the thermal environment of the rest pens in a pig slaughterhouse and the surface temperature (ST) of the animals as well as the effect of intermittent water spraying on thermal comfort. There were two visits to slaughter industrial being in each selected three pens of rest, one for control treatment (no spray throughout the period) and two for the treatment of intermittent spraying water (30 minutes intervals with constant spray followed by 30 minutes then turned off). Assessments began at the time of discharging animals in which are taken the thermographic images from lots using an infrared thermographic camera. After housing in the pens, were registered the thermographic images and the respiratory frequency (RF) every five minutes for four hours. Were evaluated the temperature, relative humidity and temperature-humidity index (THI). Considering the values of THI was observed that the animals remained in a condition of comfort only at the time of his arrival at the slaughterhouse. The ST and RF of the animals kept in the pens without sprinkler system (control) showed a linear increase in function of time of day, with increasing temperature. The treatment with intermittent sprinkling of water was observed oscillatory behavior of the ST and RF, however it was always lower than the control treatment, even in times when the water sprinklers were turned off. The time required of spray to reduction and stabilization of the ST of the animals was limited to the combination of temperature and relative humidity, being estimated at 25 minutes at times of higher THI. The maximum environmental temperature during evaluation was 28.4 oC.

Association among residual feed intake, residual body weight gain, residual intake and body weight gain and temperament of Nellore cattle

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Diferenças comportamentais de poedeiras em diferentes ambientes térmicos

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Meat characteristics of nellore cattle fed different levels of lipid-based diets

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of the dietary inclusion of lipid-based diets (whole cottonseed and protected fat) on the centesimal composition, fatty acid profile, and sensory properties of meat from finishing Nellore cattle. The study was carried out from August to October 2009. Thirty nine uncastrated Nellore males with average initial body weight of 494.1 ± 10.1 kg and 36 months of age were housed for 63 days in pens with thirteen animals each. A completely randomized design with three treatments and thirteen replications was used. The treatments evaluated were: feed with 2.50% cottonseed (control diet); feed with 11.50% cottonseed; and feed with 3.13% cottonseed added of protected lipid (PL), all on a dry matter basis. No differences between treatments were observed for moisture, protein, and ash contents. However, the addition of protected fat caused an increase in the percentage of ether extract in the meat. Diets containing cottonseed or protected lipid did not affect fatty acid concentration in the meat. The intensity of the aroma, strange aroma, flavor, strange flavor, juiciness, color, and overall appearance were similar between treatments, except for tenderness, which was positively affected in cattle fed a diet in which the only lipid source was cottonseed. The study demonstrated that the addition of PL in the diets of finishing cattle led to greater levels of intramuscular fat, but to less tender meat than the other treatments.

Desempenho de bovinos Nelore e ½ Angus/Nelore adaptados em confinamento por 9 ou 14 dias

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)